Another thing, besides forgiveness, availability, and our own opinions that block mercy is trying to be a popular, prestigious, powerful, and successful person. When we start trying to represent and advance our agenda, it crowds out Jesus’ agenda. Here’s an example of how that works.

Acts 8:17-21 (NIV) Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon [the sorcerer] saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because YOUR HEART is not right before God.”

This case makes it pretty easy for anyone to see what the heart problem was in Simon. He wanted God’s power to flow through him into the lives of others. But, it was obvious what his motives were. And, it gives us a good example of how our heart keeps us from being used by God. There are a lot of these heart issues that aren’t so easily diagnosed.

Jesus saw them in His disciples, pointed them out, and dealt with them one by one. By the time His disciples reached the end of His ministry and the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, they had been transformed into usable vessels for the ministry. From that time on God’s mercy flowed out of them like a river.